Pool-counter



(No Model.)

P. M. CUNNINGHAM. POOL COUNTER.

No. 542,147. t Patented July 2, 1895.

Ffyl,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PATRICK M. CUNNINGHAM, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE BRUNS- IVICK-BALKE-COLLENDER COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

POOL-COUNTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part yof Letters Patent No. 542,147, dated July 2, 1895.

Application filed December 6,1894. Serial No. 530,957. (No model.)

To all zul/1,0711, t may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICK M. CUNNING- HAM, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Pool-Indicator, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention has for its object to provide for use a new and very desirable device crapparatus with which, without the use of the play-balls, the game of fifteen-ball pool may be easily and correctly kept, and to this end and object my invention consists of an apparatus or contrivauce comprising the novel structural features to be fully hereinafter described and that will be found particularly pointed out in the claims of this specification.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved game-counter,l will now proceed to more fully describe its construction and operation, referring by letters to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

Figure l is a front View of my improved indicator or counter. Fig. 2 is a horizontalsection of the same, taken at the line xof Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view taker. at the line y y of Fig. l, showing the parts in that position in which they are while the indicator is set for the keeping count or tally of the balls holed. Fig. 4 is a partial view, the same as Fig. 3, but showing the parts as they appear during the opera-tion of resetting all the spherical counters which may have been turned by the marker during the progress of the game. In this figure the full lines show the actuating-slide pulled half-way, while the dotted lines show it pulled to the end of its outward stroke. Fig. 5 is a partial vertical section taken on a plane indicated by the line 5 a of Fig. 3.

In the several figures the same parts will be found always designated by the same letter of reference.

A is arectangular frame patterned, by preference, to resemble in appearance an ordinary pool-ball rack and formed with a series of horizontal shelves b arranged equidistant, as

shown. On each side of the frame A, on its face, are narrow vertical plane surfaces or stiles c and d, on the former of which are the numbers l to 9, inclusive, (in the case shown,) that denote the numbers of the several players and the shelves (or rows of indicators) allotted to them, while the other, d, has a blackboard-surface adapted to be used by the game keeper to mark thereon with chalk or a white crayon the forfeitures of the players to be scored `against them during the game in a manner now usual.

Passing down through the series of shelves from the top to the bottoni of frame A are a series of vertically-arranged equidistant fixed rods or stationary Wires e, and mounted loosely on these rods, so as to freely rotate on their vertical axes, are nine rows or horizontal sets of spherical counters f, each of which has projecting downwardly from its lower portion, a short distance from its axis, a verticallyplaced pin or lug g. As will be observed, there are eight of these counter devices f in each row, there being nine rows, to correspond with the numbers on the left-hand stile c of the frame A. In the case sho wn these spherical countersfare made of wood, (though they may be of any suitable material and either hollow or solid,) and each is painted or colored one half white and the other half of its surface red, so that each counter can be turned or set on its vertical axis t0 present to view either a white or a red hemispherical surface, in a manner and for purposes to be presently explained.

At Fig. 1 those balls or counters which are shaded are supposed to be turned to display their red surfaces, while the rest are supposed to have their-white surfaces exposed to View.

Each of the shelves or horizontal strips b is formed or provided at its top surface, near its front edge, with a strip t', that projects upward su'iciently to have its inner vertical edge act as a stop for the lugs or pins g g of the series of counter -spheres immediately over said shelf to contact with, in a manner to be presently explained, and immediately in rear of said strip is located (over each one of the shelves b) aslide-bar k. This slide-bar has its front edge cut in a series of scallops or notches, as shown, and has, near each end,

IOC

a crooked or angling perforation through it,

as shown at o, through which passesa station-Y ary round vertical bar m, all in such maner that if the slide k be pushed or pulled lengthwise in either direction it will be forced to move also laterally to agiven extent, both its lateral and its endwise movements being regulated by the conjoint actions 'of its angling mortises or apertures o o and the stationary rods m m. The said guiding and stop rods fm are fastened in the sides of the frame` work the entire series of slide-bars k, as will be presently explained.

Each of the scalloped slide-bars lo has its front or operative edge cut out in a peculiar manner, or is of a particular pattern or shape, to adapt it to perform its designed function of giving to all the spheresf that may have red surfaces exposed to View ahalf-revolution, and as these slide-bars are duplicates a description of the shape of one will describe that of all of them.

The front edge of thebar k is patterned very much after the shape of a ratcheted device, but with the point of each ratchet-like tooth cut off on a line slightly oblique to the back line of the bar, as shown by the letter s, the lines f of each notchbeing, as shown, at about right angles to the back 0f the bar, while the curved line w of each notch `is merely such as will afford room for a full clearance of the bar by the pin or lug of the counter f when the latteris turned on its axis in either direction and a clearance of the stationary rod e by the bar when the latter is moved back and forth, as will be presently explained.

In usingl the counter device or contrivance shown and so far described, mostly as to its construction, the mechanism thereof is manipulated by the attendant or game-keeper as follows: When the game is to be started, the attendant sees that all the counters f are turned or set with their white surfaces exposed to view, and when player number one plays, whatever number of balls he may hole, (if any,) .either by one or a series of strokes, the marker or attendant marks on the indicator by turning half around with his hand a corresponding numberof the spherical devices f, so as to expose their red surfaces, as illustrated,for instance, by the three shaded balls fin row No. 1. When the next player takes lhis inning, if he hole, for instance, one ball, the attendant -turns .half around one of the balls in row No. 2, as indicated at Fig. l, and so on, are the balls f of each row turned by the marker until the game be ended, when Ithe indicator will show how many balls each player holed, and who has holed the greatest number and won the game, unless two of a series of players have tied the game.

It will be understood that during the use thus of the indicater, as the counter spheres fare free to be turned to count, and also to be turned back again by hand separately, the game-keeper can turn back (so as to show the White surface) any counter that may have been turned to score whenever a player may, forfeit one or more of his holed balls by playing his own ball into a pocket; and it will be seen that, in the use of the indicator shown and described, each player can observe or read the score of the game just as plainly as heretofore when the score was kept by depositing the holed balls on the shelves of a pool rack, and can just as readily detect and have corrected any error which the gamekeeper may make in crediting holed balls to any player.

When the game shall have been finished,

` the attendant resets the indicator devices, so

that all the counters will have their white surfaces exposed to view. To do this he takes hold of the handled protruding end 0f the harp and pulls it out tothe limit of its outward movement. This movement of said bar moves laterally and to the same extent the vertical bar n, which in turn imparts the necessary endwise movement to the entire set or series of slide-bars 7c, and this simultaneous motion of the last-named bars will operate to eectuate a half-revolution on its axis of every counter-sphere fin the whole series of counters that may at the time of the pull on rod p stand with its red surface exposed to view. All those countersf'which may not have been turned by the attendant (and which, consequently, stand with their white surfaces in view) will not be affected in the least by this movement of the entire series of slide-bars k, the action of which on certain of the counters f I will now explain more fully.

Supposing that, as illustrated at Fig. 3, certain of the balls f of any one or more rows shall have been turned, as those which are shaded, to score for a player, and supposing IOO IIO

the slide-bars lc to be in. their pushed-in condition, as seen at this figure, and the game to have been ended. Now, when the attendant pulls out the bar p, as j ust' above stated, eachsphere, with its red side exposed, having, its pin or lug g about in contact with one of the transverse portions-of the notches of the slide-bars 7c, is actuated by said slide, which, acting on the said pin g, rotates the ball j into the position indicated in black lines at Fig. 4, and, as it completes its stroke to the position shown by dotted lines at Fig. 4, iinishes the half-revolution of said sphere f, the final part of the revolution being aiected by the action on pin g of the oblique cam-like portion s of the slide-bar.

It will be observed that during a little more than the first half of the outward stroke of bar 7a said bar also moves slightly backward, and that during the rest of its outward stroke, and while pin g is riding on the surface s of the bar, the latter moves forward or toward the front edge of the shelf or strip b considerably. This forward movement of the slide-bar renders it competent to give to the pin g the requisite iinal movement to consummate the half-revolution of the sphere f. Any further movement of the sphere (Such as would likely occur by reason of the inertia of the ball when rapidly turned by suddenly pulling out the slide p) is prevented by the pin g coming to a stop against the rib or ledge t' on the forward top part of shelf b. inasmuch as when thus turned by the action of slide 7c all the spheresf would be immovable were said slide left in the position indicated by the dotted lines at Fig. 4, the attendant, after resetting all the indicators, should then push the handbar p in again to occupy the position shown at Fig. 3.

Of course the details of construction may be varied without changing the novel principle of construction and mode of operation of my new indicator so long as there be a series of counters adapted to be separately turned by the game-keeper to score the holed balls by each player; to be set, orturned back, for forfeitnres, and to be all reset by mechanism, substantially as explained, and I, therefore,

wish itto be understood that my invention is not limited to the detailed construction shown.

What I claim, broadly, as of my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. As a means for scoring, or keeping, the game of iifteen ball pool, an indicator, comprising a series of sets, or rows, of movable devices, each device adapted to be turned, separately by the hand, to score, or mark,the balls holed by each player; and means for simultaneously re-setting all the said devices; for re-use; all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

2. In an indicator for keeping the game of fifteen ball pool, the combination, with a suitable supporting frame, of horizontal rows of spherical devices, each mounted on a vertical pivot, and adapted to make half a revolution, to expose to View differently colored portions of its surface; and means for simultaneously turning all those of said devices which may have been rotated half round, to count a score; in order to re-set all the rows, to begin the count of anew game; all substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 16th day of November, 1894.

PATRlCK M. CUNNINGHAM. In presence of- CHAs. E. BROWN, J oE W. SWAINE. 

